randomly

[ ran-duhm-lee ]

adverb

1. without definite aim, reason, sense, or pattern:

   This poem just seems like a bunch of words randomly put together.

   Freckles generally appear randomly on the face and upper shoulders.

2. Statistics. in a way that gives each item in a set the equal probability of being chosen:

   A survey of 309 women aged 15 to 49 was conducted in nine randomly selected villages.

Other Words From

• non·ran·dom·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of randomly¹

random ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

That way, when the ticket sale starts, you will be randomly assigned a place in the queue.

From BBC

Dave Alvin, co-founder of the Blasters and the Knitters — the latter also featured Doe and Cervenka, among others — bands that were pillars of the L.A. cowpunk scene, said he caught an early Yoakam performance at the Palomino after wandering into the club randomly in search of a beer.

From Los Angeles Times

Rather than refreshing a holding page, they will be "randomly assigned a place in the queue" once tickets are available.

From BBC

Friends have told me of being randomly shown romantic holiday pictures taken with an ex who broke their heart, or of a deceased family member while they were trying to grieve.

From Slate

Last month, we travelled to a shopping mall in Shanghai where a man had randomly stabbed strangers to death.

From BBC

Related Words

• haphazard
• headlong
• jumbled